Associate Scientist

RFCSR; Manchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market-leading pension

Health & wellbeing support

Generous annual leave

Job summary

Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, affiliated with The University of Manchester, invites applications for Associate Scientist in the Cancer Dynamics group.

Lead research initiatives, supervise teams, and contribute to publications and grant applications; collaborate with Francis Crick Institute and NHS partners. Strong leadership and PhD in relevant field required; position offers generous benefits and visibility within the institute.

Qualifications

• PhD in cancer biology, biochemistry, or a closely related discipline.
• Extensive postdoctoral experience in a cancer research laboratory.
• Experience supervising research projects and teams, contributing to publications, and supporting grant writing.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Cancer Dynamics research program and act as deputy to Professor Turajlić.
• Supervise postgraduate researchers and research teams.
• Drive scientific initiatives and contribute to high-impact publications and grant applications.

Skills

Leadership

Project supervision

Grant writing

Independent work

Time management

Education

PhD in cancer biology/biochemistry

Job description

Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute (The University of Manchester)

Manchester, United Kingdom

General Description

The Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute (CRUK MI), a world-leading centre for excellence in cancer research, invites applications for the position of Associate Scientist within the Cancer Dynamics research group led by Professor Samra Turajlić. The Institute is core funded by Cancer Research UK and operates in partnership with The University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, providing an exceptional environment for basic, translational, and clinical cancer research.

This role is part of the expanding Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, which applies evolutionary biology principles to understand cancer progression, metastasis, and drug resistance, with a focus on cancers such as renal cell carcinoma and melanoma. The laboratory integrates patient data, computational biology, and experimental models to improve cancer outcomes.

The Associate Scientist will play a central leadership role in shaping and advancing the research programme. Responsibilities include acting as an operational deputy to Professor Turajlić, bridging activities between CRUK MI and collaborating sites such as the Francis Crick Institute, supervising research projects and teams (including postgraduate researchers), driving key scientific initiatives, and contributing to high-impact publications and competitive grant applications.

The position offers significant independence, leadership responsibility, and visibility within the Institute and wider academic community. The successful candidate will contribute directly to CRUK’s mission to accelerate progress in cancer research and improve patient outcomes.

The Institute provides access to advanced research infrastructure, including next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics, confocal microscopy, histology, microarrays, and mass spectrometry, supporting cutting-edge multidisciplinary research.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must hold a PhD in cancer biology, biochemistry, or a closely related discipline, along with extensive postdoctoral experience in a cancer research laboratory.

Required Expertise/Skills

Candidates should demonstrate strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and meet deadlines while working independently. Experience in supervising research projects and teams, contributing to scientific publications, and supporting grant writing is essential. The ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and institutions is also required.

Salary Details

£45,000 – £60,000 per annum, dependent on qualifications and experience.

Additional benefits include a market-leading pension scheme, comprehensive health and wellbeing support (including an Employee Assistance Programme), generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays, and access to local and national retail discounts.

Application Deadline

31 May 2026 (applications close at 18:00 hours on the closing date)